QUICK-witted, sharp and warm-hearted, for seven award-winning years Paul O’Grady has been the perfect chat show host.

QUICK-witted, sharp and warm-hearted, for seven award-winning years Paul O’Grady has been the perfect chat show host.

But his millions of fans will be shocked and saddened to hear that the latest series of Paul O’Grady Live will be his last.

“I really, really don’t want to do any more chat shows, to be honest with you,” he says. “There’s just so many of them – This Morning, Lorraine, The One Show, Loose Women, Graham and Alan and Jonathan.

“I’d often end up with a guest I’d had on the couch six times and think, ‘what are we going to talk about?’

“And people weren’t coming on for a chat, they were plugging a book or a film or a TV show. Some weeks I’d have nine books to read. I’d plough through them, then try to watch all the films. It became all-consuming and I felt I was becoming part of the PR machine.”

Paul’s daily 5 o’clock show – which has appeared on Channel 4 and ITV – won a BAFTA in 2005 and also saw Paul win Best TV Comedy Entertainment Personality at the British Comedy Awards.

But he insists he is happy to be moving on. “They wanted me to come back in February, but I had itchy feet and I wanted to do something else,” he explains.

Not that he’ll be at a loose end. As well as looking after 14 sheep, three dogs, two pigs, hundreds of chickens, ducks, an owl and an arthritic dog at his home in Kent, he is preparing to take to the stage in the upcoming Coronation Street musical, Street of Dreams.

The musical will re-enact memorable storylines and iconic characters from the past five decades, in 90 minutes of high energy song and dance routines.

The premiere is in March in Manchester and features Paul alongside famous faces, including William Roache (Ken Barlow), Julie Goodyear (Bet Lynch), Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts), Brian Capron (Richard Hillman) and actors playing much-loved characters of the past such as the late, great Elsie Tanner and Ena Sharples.

Paul says: “The show is based on the album Coronation Street – Rogues, Angels, Heroes and Fools, which was written by Trisha Ward.

“I was sent a copy last year and I played it on the radio and I thought the songs were really clever, so when Trisha rang up and asked if I was interested I said yes.

“I fancied doing some theatre, it sounded like a good idea and I love Coronation Street.”

O'Grady with Lady Gaga

Paul is on stage for most of the show. “There’s no popping off for a cup of tea for me,” he laughs. “I’ve got a script that is as thick as Lord of the Rings.

“There’s a nice little bit with me and Ena Sharples in the shop – now there’s something I thought I’d never say! Me and Elsie… it’s just incredible. I’m going to be having tea with the Barlows, doing a bit of a tango with Vera.

“I’ve not handpicked the storylines myself but I know each and every one of them inside out.

“Our household were such avid Corrie viewers and at 7.30 pronto we’d all sit down together and watch it. And if the phone dared ring during that half hour my mother would be outraged. There are still big chunks of script engraved in my memory from 30 years back.”

Rumours of high-profile jobs are swirling around, but one that Paul insists he hasn’t been offered is as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent.

“No one’s mentioned it to me,” he insists. “I haven’t spoken to Simon Cowell for four years – he’s always in LA and I’m in Kent.

“I’d consider it most definitely, but if they did ask me I’d have to have a good think. You have to sit through all those bum acts at the auditions – some of them are dreadful.

“I’d be very worried that I’d say too much. It’s a tough job. You’ve got to be honest with people, but you can end up Mr Nasty or bland.

“I’d be honest, but I couldn’t tell kids they were rubbish – I wouldn’t be able to sleep when I got home if I reduced somebody to tears. I’d hate it. Who wants to earn a living doing that?”

O'Grady with the Black Eyed Peas

And Strictly Come Dancing’s not on the radar either. “I always think it’s a bit rude to Brucie, because he hasn’t even retired,” he says.

“Besides, I wouldn’t do it anyway. It has its own format. I think a change would ruin it and the viewers wouldn’t like it.

“I’m not that keen on Saturday night telly anyway, I never have been. I’ll watch Strictly if it’s on – I wouldn’t rush in to put it on – and I never watch X Factor. It’s too cynical for me, plus most years the finalists don’t seem to have the X Factor.”

Always honest, Paul’s life is an open book – even the difficult times, two heart attacks and the death of his manager and partner of 25 years Brendan Murphy from a brain tumour in 2005.

Today Paul has a new partner, a businessman and former ballet dancer by the name of Andre. The couple first met in 2005 and got together a year later.

Andre lives in London and Paul divides his time between a flat in London and his Kent house.

“I don’t live with people, that’s why my relationships last,” Paul jokes. “I’m not romantic. Even when I was a teenager if somebody asked if they could hold my hand I’d say, ‘no, it’s not heavy, I can hold it myself, thank you’.”

Now 56 years old, Paul grew up in Liverpool where he became a dad at 17 and went through a variety of jobs, including working in an abattoir and being a care worker for elderly people, before turning his hand to drag and creating the character of Lily Savage in 1978. He was awarded an MBE for services to entertainment three years ago and next year he will present a new ITV1 show about Battersea Dogs Home and is already in talks with the BBC about making a documentary about the working class.

He is also busy writing the third instalment of his autobiography, following the success of his first two books At My Mother’s Knee and The Devil Rides Out.

“I quite fancy being the voice of an animated cartoon, but I’ve no game plan and I will retire one day,” he says. “I’ve got different interests these days. I’ve got all my animals now and I sort of like the quieter life – I hate admitting that, but I do!”

Now close to his daughter Sharyn and her two young children, he will nonetheless be spending Christmas Day with friends and will see his daughter and his grandchildren a few days later. “She wanted to come for Christmas, but I said no,” Paul grins. “I can’t handle kids and a turkey!

“I’m the Grinch when it comes to Christmas – are you surprised? I’ve got a pile of Christmas cards to write, but I find it a real pain. I think everybody does if they’re honest. Sitting down and writing to people you never see and you don’t want to see! What’s the point of that?”